SHE-WOLF | BJORN IRONSIDE

16

Sihtric was making his way through the camp when he finally reached a tent where many wives of the warriors were located under. Sihtric walked underneath it and sighed when he laid eyes on Torvi.

"Torvi," He called out and Torvi immediately looked up at him with a confused look. Her lips parted but she said nothing as he made his way over to her, "Torvi, I should have spoken to you before."

"Why?" Torvi asked him curiously and Sihtric gave her a knowing look.

He sighed, gesturing for her to follow him, which she ended up doing. The two of them walked away from the table and toward a place where they could speak privately.

"You know why," He told her in a hushed tone.

"It doesn't matter, Sihtric," She assured him as she stared up at him with a calm expression on her face, "I am not with child, nor am I a child."

"But I took advantage," He pointed out to her with a shameful look on his face, "I should not have."

"Neither of us should have, but we still took advantage. Both of us did," Torvi reminded him as she began to smile, causing Sihtric to begin to smile as well.

After a moment, however, he sighed in defeat, and his smile faded. "No one can know what happened between us, Torvi," Sihtric told Torvi in a hushed tone, looking uneasy, "It would not end well for either of us. My sister will see it as a betrayal."

"I understand," Torvi replied as she nodded her head, "I will not tell anyone. I promise."

"Thank you," Sihtric responded before he dug his hand into his pocket, "Uh...I have something for you."

Sihtric grabbed her hand, just before placing a necklace into it. He closed her hand before pressing a gentle kiss to it. "This is for you."

"I cannot take this," Torvi confessed as she shook her head.

"It is a gift," Sihtric reminded her as he smiled, "You may do whatever you like with it."

Torvi began to smile and Sihtric gave her a parting look before he walked away. However, as he did so, he suddenly froze in place when Freya appeared in front of him.

"What?" He asked her with an attitude as he tried to hide his uneasiness.

"I know," Freya informed Sihtric, the slightest of smirks on her face.

"Know what?" Sihtric questioned the girl as he scoffed loudly.

"What has happened between you and Torvi," Freya replied in a calm tone.

"Nothing has happened between me and Torvi," Sihtric argued sternly as he tried not to look defensive.

"I am young, but I am not a fool. I am a child, though. There's no denying that. But as a child, I am invisible to adults. I see things others do not. Like I saw you and Torvi on the beach back in Kattegat," Freya explained without a care in the world and having had enough, Sihtric roughly grabbed her by the arm but she didn't seem to care in the slightest.

"You must not tell Ylva," Sihtric practically begged Ylva, causing an amused look from Freya.

"Why shouldn't I?" Freya asked Sihtric as she smiled at him tauntingly.

"Because I'll tell her why you really went to Kattegat while she was away in England," Sihtric suddenly revealed, causing Freya's smile to fade, "You killed two young boys in Ashton because they angered you and you didn't want anyone to find out that it was you."

"What are you talking about?" Freya asked and if Sihtric hadn't known she was lying, he would have actually believed her, "That was not me. I am just a girl. Why would I kill someone?"

"The boys were beaten to death with a staff. You had training earlier that day with a staff. I've seen them tease you before. They tease you because you're the bastard daughter of a Saxon slave and the brother their Earl killed. They called you weak and you killed them for it. Ylva will not take that lightly. She taught you to control your anger and not let it get the best of you yet you still a killed those boys. Two boys no older than ten. She will be angry and I know you don't want that."

Hearing his threat, Freya glared up at him. "Fine, I won't tell her about Torvi."

"Good," Sihtric replied and he began to walk away.

"Just know..." Freya suddenly trailed off as she began to smile sadistically, "You're not as good of a person as people think you are. In ways, you're just as evil as your father and brother. If you thought it was worth it, I think you'd kill Ylva and become Earl yourself. Listen to me when I say this, Sihtric. One day, I will kill you."

Hearing her words, Sihtric immediately stopped walking. He turned to face her, his eyes widening in shock. "Maybe in a month, a year, or maybe even in twenty, I don't know. But I do know that I will kill you and nothing's going to stop me from doing it, not even Ylva. I will take a knife, drive it through your eye, and out the back of your skull. I swear by all the Gods I will be the one to kill you."

"You couldn't kill me even if you tried, Freya," Sihtric scoffed, not taking her seriously. He chuckled, walking away without another word said.

"We'll see about that," Freya spoke quietly as she watched Sihtric walk away, the smallest of smirks forming on her lips.

______

The following morning, Ylva walked with Bjorn, Kalf, Ragnar, Lagertha, Rollo, and several others as they walked toward the shores of the river.

Ylva's eyes widened as she looked up to see what Floki had built to help them breach the gates of Paris.

"Everything ready, Floki?" Ragnar asked his friend as he looked up at him.

Floki smiled, looking back down at Ragnar. "Yes! Everything is ready! Tomorrow, we attack Paris." He exclaimed happily and Ylva began to smile.

She turned to Bjorn, both of them exchanging an exciting look. "May the Gods be with us tomorrow," Ylva spoke quietly as Bjorn grabbed her hand and held it.